Terrebonne's incoming sheriff lays off 24 employees

Published: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.

The incoming Terrebonne Parish sheriff has informed 24 deputies and staff within the office that they will not have jobs when he takes over July 1.

Jerry Larpenter, the parish’s sheriff for 22 years who opted out of running again in 2007 to run for parish president, said he informed Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office personnel of the layoffs and demotions by letters, which he mailed Tuesday. He said there were no promotions.

Larpenter said he made the decision with his transition team, made up of people he worked with as sheriff, to cut spending.

Those in the Sheriff’s Office do not have civil service protection, so the deputies and staff who are being let go will lose their salaries and benefits at midnight July 1.

Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois couldn’t be reached for comment.

The office is “so top-heavy right now,” Larpenter said. “You had majors doing absolutely nothing, in my opinion. You’ve got people who have no job descriptions. You have supervisors supervising supervisors, and I don’t want that. I’m going to micromanage that office, the personnel and their finances. I have to do that.”

Larpenter said he is concerned he will not have enough money to run operations when he takes office.

“I’m going to try and streamline this and try and get some finances back to the sheriff’s office,” he said.

Lafayette accountant Buzz Andersen, who has prepared budgets for both Bourgeois and Larpenter, said Bourgeois will leave office at the end of June with a surplus of $2.5 million to $4 million, depending on tax collections. That won’t be enough to keep the Sheriff’s Office running without cutting spending or taking out loans to pay employees, Andersen said.

According to a report The Courier published in February, Bourgeois spent a good part of the nearly $9 million surplus that was there when Larpenter left office.

Capt. Brealon Yelverton, who worked under Larpenter for 17 years and Bourgeois after that, will be one of those laid off, Yelverton said.

“I’m without a paycheck come July 1, and I’ve got a family to support. ... I was given no reason why my services were no longer needed,” he said.

Yelverton said he learned the news at lunchtime Wednesday.

Yelverton, 44, is eligible for a retirement package but not until he is 55 years old.

Lt. Lance Simoneaux, who is part of the office’s K-9 unit, said he was informed by letter that he will not be allowed to return July 1.

Simoneaux, who has been at the office for three years, did not work under Larpenter. Bourgeois promoted him from a sergeant to a lieutenant while he was there, said Simoneaux, who has worked in various law enforcement offices for nearly two decades.

“Everyone’s just in shock right now,” he said.

He said he does not plan to seek a job with another policing agency.

“After 17 years in law enforcement, I’m done with this,” he said. “I’m done with worrying about your job every four years.”

The decision to lay off 24 was “extremely difficult,” Larpenter said.

“I’m not trying to hurt anybody. These decisions won’t be easy. If anybody’s got anybody to blame .... blame the guy who’s leading the charge right now,” he said, referring to Bourgeois.

“It may not be popular with some, but I believe it’s going to be popular with the majority of Terrebonne Parish,” he said.

Staff Writer Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at 448-7617 or katie.urbaszewski

<p>The incoming Terrebonne Parish sheriff has informed 24 deputies and staff within the office that they will not have jobs when he takes over July 1.</p><p>Jerry Larpenter, the parish's sheriff for 22 years who opted out of running again in 2007 to run for parish president, said he informed Terrebonne Sheriff's Office personnel of the layoffs and demotions by letters, which he mailed Tuesday. He said there were no promotions.</p><p>Larpenter said he made the decision with his transition team, made up of people he worked with as sheriff, to cut spending.</p><p>Those in the Sheriff's Office do not have civil service protection, so the deputies and staff who are being let go will lose their salaries and benefits at midnight July 1.</p><p>Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois couldn't be reached for comment.</p><p>The office is “so top-heavy right now,” Larpenter said. “You had majors doing absolutely nothing, in my opinion. You've got people who have no job descriptions. You have supervisors supervising supervisors, and I don't want that. I'm going to micromanage that office, the personnel and their finances. I have to do that.”</p><p>Larpenter said he is concerned he will not have enough money to run operations when he takes office.</p><p>“I'm going to try and streamline this and try and get some finances back to the sheriff's office,” he said.</p><p>Lafayette accountant Buzz Andersen, who has prepared budgets for both Bourgeois and Larpenter, said Bourgeois will leave office at the end of June with a surplus of $2.5 million to $4 million, depending on tax collections. That won't be enough to keep the Sheriff's Office running without cutting spending or taking out loans to pay employees, Andersen said.</p><p>According to a report The Courier published in February, Bourgeois spent a good part of the nearly $9 million surplus that was there when Larpenter left office.</p><p>“If I'd have stayed there, this never would've happened,” Larpenter said.</p><p>Capt. Brealon Yelverton, who worked under Larpenter for 17 years and Bourgeois after that, will be one of those laid off, Yelverton said. </p><p>“I'm without a paycheck come July 1, and I've got a family to support. ... I was given no reason why my services were no longer needed,” he said. </p><p>Yelverton said he learned the news at lunchtime Wednesday.</p><p>Yelverton, 44, is eligible for a retirement package but not until he is 55 years old.</p><p>Lt. Lance Simoneaux, who is part of the office's K-9 unit, said he was informed by letter that he will not be allowed to return July 1.</p><p>Simoneaux, who has been at the office for three years, did not work under Larpenter. Bourgeois promoted him from a sergeant to a lieutenant while he was there, said Simoneaux, who has worked in various law enforcement offices for nearly two decades.</p><p>“Everyone's just in shock right now,” he said.</p><p>He said he does not plan to seek a job with another policing agency.</p><p>“After 17 years in law enforcement, I'm done with this,” he said. “I'm done with worrying about your job every four years.”</p><p>The decision to lay off 24 was “extremely difficult,” Larpenter said.</p><p>“I'm not trying to hurt anybody. These decisions won't be easy. If anybody's got anybody to blame .... blame the guy who's leading the charge right now,” he said, referring to Bourgeois.</p><p>“It may not be popular with some, but I believe it's going to be popular with the majority of Terrebonne Parish,” he said.</p><p>Staff Writer Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at 448-7617 or katie.urbaszewski</p><p>@dailycomet.com.</p>